Sometimes I use Skype’s instant messaging feature at work. I know what you’re thinking… Did she REALLY just admit that to the world?

Yes, I did.

How many of you tweet at work? Do you tweet for fun or are you trying to promote causes and establish professional relationships? Are you reading this blog on the clock?

Social platforms are only as distracting as you let them be. And sometimes — often in PR — they are actually integral to a campaign and should be embraced.

In the past couple of weeks, Skype has proven its worth to me. Here’s how:

Exhibit A: Client Relations

Last week, I spent two hours on a conference call training my Client how to use the major social media platforms. It was all a little overwhelming for him at first, but he was eager and ready to jump into the conversation. He started adding a new Fan page picture, setting up columns on HootSuite and trying to decide which word needed the hashtag. As would be expected, he came up with new questions after our call. So, he sent me a quick Skype message. I saw the question — responded immediately — and we were both back to work.

Sure, he could have emailed me, but that would have taken longer. If I was in the middle of reading other emails or working on something, there’s a chance I wouldn’t have looked at it right away. Meanwhile, my Client would be sitting at his desk, potentially frustrated that he couldn’t move on to the next step because of one small hiccup.

Exhibit B: Pulling your Resources

“I get by with a little help from my friends…” Understatement of the century. I would not be where I am right now without the support and guidance from family, friends, colleagues, superiors and of course, my fabulous Twitter community. Twitter has helped me connect with countless individuals of similar interests and passions. Well last week, I was brainstorming promotional tactics for a Client and wanted some feedback. All of a sudden, I recalled a friend from Twitter who was part of my Client’s exact target market. I sent my friend a Facebook message, and before I knew it, we were on Skype having an in-depth conversation about the product and PR efforts. It was awesome to get the perspective of someone within the target audience. By the end of the discussion, I knew I was on the right track and even benefited from some fresh ideas.

We could have sent Facebook messages back and forth, but that would have been less immediate…phone conversations aren’t always easy to manage in a bustling work environment either. Skype was convenient and rewarding.

That having been said, Skype, like all social platforms, could quickly turn into your worst nightmare. What happens when old friends start chatting you up and you’re trying to get work finished? What happens if a Client sends you a message, but you genuinely have other things to complete first? I haven’t been engaged with Skype long enough to have had any of these issues, but I’ve already started thinking of things to do (or not do) to avoid potential problems.

My thoughts:

• If you get into the office in the morning and know every second of that day is already accounted for, don’t bother opening Skype. There’s no need to invite more stress or work into your already chaotic schedule.
• Take advantage of the “away” status.
• Don’t socialize on Skype during work hours. Time flies in Instant Messaging chats and before you know it, you’ve wasted an hour…if you aren’t using Skype productively, don’t use it at all!
• Sometimes, it’s OK not to respond immediately. If you’re occupied, you’re occupied. You can’t be everywhere at once.

So, do you use Skype at work? Do you only open it when you need it? Have you had any work-day success stories with Skype or does it just invite more distraction and stress?